Metal–Graphene Hybrid Chiral Metamaterials for Tunable Circular Dichroism

In the field of optoelectronics, circular dichroism (CD) has caused great research interest because it is widely used in imaging and biosensing. A new method for dynamically controlling terahertz (THz) CD in metamaterials is proposed. By introducing chirality and graphene to metamaterials, a pair of chiral structures with completely opposite responses to left-handed circularly polarized (LCP) waves and right-handed circularly polarized (RCP) waves are designed. The influencing factors of CD are explored, including the gap of the structure, the linewidth of graphene, and the Fermi level of graphene. The largest CD (ΔR) is 77%. The CD can be actively modulated in a modulation range of 39–77% and the modulation depth is up to 38%. In addition, two-channel and four-channel chiral metasurfaces for near-field imaging are designed in this way. Good imaging effects and on (“1”) or off (“0”) effects of the multichannel metasurface are demonstrated. This work provides new ideas for the design of tunable metasurfaces and promotes the application of metasurfaces in THz dynamic imaging.     

Dynamic Hall effect driven by circularly polarized light in a graphene layer

We report the observation of the circular ac Hall effect where the current is solely driven by the crossed ac electric and magnetic fields of circularly polarized radiation. Illuminating an unbiased monolayer sheet of graphene with circularly polarized terahertz radiation at room temperature generates--under oblique incidence--an electric current perpendicular to the plane of incidence, whose sign is reversed by switching the radiation helicity. Alike the classical dc Hall effect, the voltage is caused by crossed E and B fields which are, however rotating with the light's frequency.     

Terahertz radiation driven chiral edge currents in graphene

We observe photocurrents induced in single-layer graphene samples by illumination of the graphene edges with circularly polarized terahertz radiation at normal incidence. The photocurrent flows along the sample edges and forms a vortex. Its winding direction reverses by switching the light helicity from left to right handed. We demonstrate that the photocurrent stems from the sample edges, which reduce the spatial symmetry and result in an asymmetric scattering of carriers driven by the radiation electric field. The developed theory based on Boltzmann's kinetic equation is in a good agreement with the experiment. We show that the edge photocurrents can be applied for determination of the conductivity type and the momentum scattering time of the charge carriers in the graphene edge vicinity.     

基于石墨烯的太赫兹波散射可调谐超表面

设计了一个可调谐的太赫兹超表面,由在随机反射超表面基底中嵌入可偏置的双层石墨烯构成,可以实现对太赫兹波散射特性的动态调控.全波仿真试验结果证实了所预期的超表面散射可调性能.通过增大偏置电压提升石墨烯的费米能级,使得该超表面的太赫兹波散射样式从漫反射逐渐向镜面反射过渡,从而实现散射特性的连续调控,且该超表面具有对电磁波极化角度不敏感的特点.这些特性使得该超表面能很好地融合到变化的环境中,在太赫兹隐身方面具有潜在的应用价值.     

Switchable vortex beam polarization state terahertz multi-layer metasurface

We propose a switchable vortex beam polarization state terahertz multi-layer metasurface, which consists of three-layer elliptical metal crosses, four-layer dielectrics, and two-layer hollow metal circles, which are alternately superimposed. Under the normal incidence of left-handed circularly polarized (LCP) wave and the right-handed circularly polarized (RCP) waves, the proposed structure realizes three independent control functions, i.e., focused and vortex beam, vortex beam with different topological charges, and polarization states switching, and azimuth switching of two vortex beams with different polarization states. The results show that the proposed metasurface provides a new idea for investigating the multifunctional terahertz wave modulation devices.     

Scattering of electromagnetic wave by perfect electromagnetic conductor (PEMC) sphere placed in chiral media

A theoretical investigation has been carried out for electromagnetic waves scattering from a perfect electromagnetic conductor (PEMC) sphere which is placed in chiral media. The formulation of the problem is realized by expanding the incident as well as the scattered electromagnetic fields in terms of left circularly polarized (LCP) and right circularly polarized (RCP) waves. By applying the boundary conditions at the chiral-PEMC interface, eight simultaneous equations are generated, which yield the scattering coefficients associated with the Left and Right electromagnetic waves. The relative contribution of Co-polarized and Cross-polarized components of fields to the calculations of scattering cross-section is presented. The effect of admittance parameter and the effect of chirality parameter in cases of lossless, lossy permittivity and lossy permeability on Co and Cross components of scattering cross sections are observed. The results are also compared with available published literatures which are in good agreement.     

An Ultra-Broadband Chirality Selective Metastructure Absorber using High Impedance Surface

In this paper, an ultra-wideband chirality selective metastructure absorber is proposed that enables differential absorption and reflection of circularly polarized waves in the terahertz (THz) range. The structure achieves circular dichroism (CD) by using asymmetrically split metal rings as fundamental meta-atoms. Most critically, the high impedance surface and air-resonant cavities are inserted separately in the meta-atoms and dielectric substrate to enhance CD and broaden the bandwidth of absorption. The metastructure absorber can achieve more than 90% absorption of right circularly polarized waves at 0.675–1.244 THz, and it can maintain more than 90% reflection of left circularly polarized waves at 0.607–1.229 THz without changing the direction of rotation. Besides, its CD can reach more than 80% at 0.687–1.213 THz with a relative bandwidth of 55.3%. Spin-selective absorption, which is closely related to breaking chiral symmetry, is investigated through power loss distribution, wide-angle incidence, and scan parameter optimization. The proposed strategy is further validated in the THz band, and the polarization selection and manipulation techniques can be applied to chiral sensing/radio-thermometry, circular polarization detectors/lasers, and molecular spectroscopy.     

Multiple scattering of polarized light in a turbid medium

It is shown that multiple scattering of polarized light in a turbid medium can be represented as independent propagation of three basic modes: intensity and linearly and circularly polarized modes. Weak interaction between the basic modes can be described by perturbation theory and gives rise to “overtones” (additional polarization modes). Transport equations for the basic and additional modes are derived from a vector radiative transfer equation. Analytical solutions to these equations are found in the practically important cases of diffusive light propagation and small-angle multiple scattering. The results obtained are in good agreement with experimental and numerical results and provide an explanation for the experimentally observed difference in depolarization between linearly and circularly polarized waves.     

Thermal currents obtained and mutually switched by a modified Haldane model in graphene

By using the transfer matrix method, we discover three types of current, such as the 100% spin-valley polarized current, pure spin-valley current and pure charge current, in a two-terminal graphene system. These types of current can be obtained and mutually switched by modulating the parameters of the modified Haldane model (MHM). In our work, these types of current are driven by the thermal bias. Compared with this method of increasing the one-lead temperature (with a fixed temperature difference), the thermal currents can be more effectively strengthened by increasing the temperature difference (with a fixed one-lead temperature). In order to rapidly turn off these currents, we choose to enhance the intensity of the off-resonant circularly polarized light instead of canceling the temperature difference. These results indicate that the graphene system with the MHM has promising applications in the spin and valley caloritronics.     

圆极化波反射聚焦超表面

基于圆极化波入射条件下的高效同极化反射超表面实现了对圆极化反射波相位的自由调控, 设计了一维圆极化波反射聚焦超表面. 在中心频率f=16 GHz附近, 右旋圆极化平面波入射时, 反射波聚焦于焦距L=200 mm的实焦点; 左旋圆极化波入射时, 反射波近似聚焦于焦距L=-200 mm的虚焦点. 仿真计算得到聚焦波束的波束宽度、焦深. 结果表明, 这种圆极化反射聚焦超表面具有很好的聚焦效果, 同时具有长焦深和宽带特性.     

Experiment studies on the polarized gamma-rays generation at KEK-ATF

Polarized positrons can be created through electron-positron pair creation from circularly polarized gamma-rays. Laser-Compton scattering is an efficient method to generate circularly polarized gamma-rays. A high finesse 2-mirror optical stacking cavity had been installed on the straight section of the electron storage ring at KEK-ATF. A 1064 nm circularly polarized pulsed laser beam was stacked in the cavity. Polarized gamma-rays with a maximum energy of 28.3 MeV were produced via inverse Compton scattering of the enhanced laser pulse off an electron beam of 1.28 GeV. The number of generated gamma photons per collision was estimated by a photon detector. It was found that the experimental result was in agreement with the simulated value.     

Broadband asymmetric transmission for linearly and circularly polarization based on sand-clock structured metamaterial

We proposed a sandwich structure to realize broadband asymmetric transmission(AT) for both linearly and circularly polarized waves in the near infrared spectral region. The structure composes of a silica substrate and two sand-clock-like gold layers on the opposite sides of the substrate. Due to the surface plasmons of gold, the structure shows that the AT parameters of linearly and circularly polarized waves can reach 0.436 and 0.403, respectively. Meanwhile, a broadband property is presented for the AT parameter is over 0.3 between 320 THz and 340 THz. The structure realizes a diode-like AT for linearly wave in forward and circularly wave in backward, respectively. The magnetic dipoles excited by current in the two gold layers contribute to the broadband AT. The current density in top and bottom metallic layers illustrates the mechanism of the polarization conversion for broadband AT in detail.     

Propagation of terahertz waves in nonuniform plasma slab under "electromagnetic window"

The application of magnetic fields, electric fields, and the increase of the electromagnetic wave frequency are up-and-coming solutions for the blackout problem. Therefore, this study considers the influence of the external magnetic field on the electron flow and the effect of the external electric field on the electron density distribution, and uses the scattering matrix method (SMM) to perform theoretical calculations and analyze the transmission behavior of terahertz waves under different electron densities, magnetic field distributions, and collision frequencies. The results show that the external magnetic field can improve the transmission of terahertz waves at the low-frequency end. Magnetizing the plasma from the direction perpendicular to the incident path can optimize the right-hand polarized wave transmission. The external electric field can increase the transmittance to some extent, and the increase of the collision frequency can suppress the right-hand polarized wave cyclotron resonance caused by the external magnetic field. By adjusting these parameters, it is expected to alleviate the blackout phenomenon to a certain extent.     

生物组织多光谱偏振特性研究

生物组织内部结构复杂且具有较强的散射特性,而光作为生物组织检测的重要信息载体,其自身特性包括颜色、幅值、偏振等都对信息获取有较大的影响.结合偏振成像,对生物组织多光谱偏振特性展开了研究,依据不同微粒尺寸的分布建立了均匀单层生物组织模型,结合瑞利和米氏散射理论模拟了基于单个微粒的两种散射事件.瑞利散射具有较好的前向后向散...     

Giant optical activity and circular dichroism in the terahertz region based on bi-layer Y-shaped chiral metamaterial

We present a bi-layer Y-shaped chiral metamaterial (CMM) that can realize a giant optical activity and circular dichroism (CD) effect to the incident linear polarization wave in the terahertz (THz) region. Numerical simulation results exhibit that the pronounced CD effect with a great difference between the transmission coefficients for the circularly polarized waves can be obtained at 5.06 THz, meanwhile the 90°-polarization rotation can be observed at 5.2 THz when a y-polarized wave is incident to this CMM propagating along the −z-axis. The mechanism of the optical activity and giant CD effect is illustrated by simulated surface current distributions. Further, the influences of the structural parameters of the proposed CMM to the optical activity and CD effect have been investigated numerically.     

Resonance absorption of terahertz radiation in nanoperforated graphene

Recent measurements of the conductivity of nanoperforated graphene are interpreted in terms of edges states existing near the edge of each nanohole. The perimetric quantization of edge states should result in the formation of a quasi-equidistant ladder of quasistationary energy levels. Dirac fermions filling this ladder rotate about each nanohole in the direction determined by the valley index. It is shown that the irradiation of this system by circularly polarized terahertz radiation leads to a resonance in absorption in one of the valleys. The magnitude of absorption at the resonance frequency can be controlled by means of gate voltage.     

Multiple scattering of elliptically polarized light in two-dimensional medium with large inhomogeneities

For elliptically polarized light incident on a two-dimensional medium with large inhomogeneities, the Stokes parameters of scattered waves are calculated. Multiple scattering is assumed to be sharply anisotropic. The degree of polarization of scattered radiation is shown to be a nonmonotonic function of depth when the incident wave is circularly polarized or its polarization vector is not parallel to the symmetry axis of the inhomogeneities.     

二维宽带相位梯度超表面设计及实验验证

针对圆极化波, 通过同极化反射超表面结构单元的空间排布, 设计实现了一种二维非色散高效相位梯度超表面. 同极化反射相位可以通过同极化反射超表面结构单元金属线的面内旋转来自由调控. 实现的相位梯度超表面可对左右旋入射波产生相反的相位梯度. 当线极化波入射到超表面上时, 反射波被分为两束向相反方向传播的圆极化波. 仿真了线极化波垂直入射时的反射功率密度谱, 仿真结果与理论上设计的异常反射方向一致. 制作了厚度为2 mm的超表面样品, 测试了其镜面反射率曲线. 实验结果表明, 线极化波垂直入射时, 超表面在9.5-19.0 GHz的镜面反射率降至-5 dB以下.     

单层超薄高效圆极化超表面透镜

针对超表面在透镜方面的应用, 本文设计了一种交叉极化透射聚焦超表面, 实现了将圆极化波转化为交叉极化波的同时聚焦电磁波的功能. 设计了一款旋转型单元, 单元为一层且厚度仅为1.5 mm, 分析了旋转型单元提供不同相移的原理并设计了相邻单元相移差为60°的相位梯度超表面, 在中心频率f=15 GHz附近发生奇异折射, 折射角与理论计算结果一致, 验证了设计单元的有效性, 基于该单元设计了尺寸为90 m mm×90 mm、单元数为15×15 的透射型聚焦超表面, 在中心频率f=15 GHz附近, 左旋圆极化平面波照射时, 透射波聚焦于L=40 mm 的实焦点且透射波为照射波的交叉极化波. 该超表面透镜效率高、厚度薄且为单层, 易于加工, 相对于传统透镜, 优势明显, 在操控电磁波、改善透镜性能方面有潜在应用价值.     

两圆偏振光以及线偏振光和圆偏振光干涉图样的衬比度

考察了两束圆偏振光之间以及线偏振光与圆偏振光之间干涉所形成图样的衬比度,并与两束线偏振光之间干涉图样的衬比度进行了比较．指出在非共面多光束干涉中有可能利用圆偏振光以改善干涉图样的整体衬比度,并简要介绍了它在光子晶体制备中的应用．